Smokeless tobacco products and processes

ABSTRACT

A container for a smokeless tobacco product is provided. A container for smokeless tobacco comprises a lid and a corresponding bottom piece having an outside wall and at least one dividing wall extending between opposite sides of the outside wall and dividing the bottom piece into a plurality of compartments. A seal is removably positioned over each compartment.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No.29/297,520 entitled “Snus Bottom Container” and filed on Feb. 1, 2008and Ser. No. 29/297,517 entitled “Snus Divided Container” and filed onFeb. 1, 2008, both to Patel et al. and each is hereby incorporated intheir entirety by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to tobacco products and packaging fortobacco products in smokeless form, including those smokeless tobaccoproducts characterized as “snus.”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tobacco may be enjoyed in a so-called “smokeless” form. Particularlypopular smokeless tobacco products are employed by inserting some formof processed tobacco or tobacco-containing formulation into the mouth ofthe user.

Various types of smokeless tobacco products are set forth in U.S. Pat.No. 1,376,586 to Schwartz; U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,756 to Pittman et al.;U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,993 to Sensabaugh, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No.4,624,269 to Story et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,907 to Townsend; U.S.Pat. No. 5,092,352 to Sprinkle, III et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,416 toWhite et al.; and Des. 335,934 to Howard; U.S. Pat. Pub. No.2005/0244521 to Strickland et al. and 2006/0162732 to Winn et al.; U.S.Pat. Pub. Nos. 2006/0191548 to Strickland et al., 2007/0261707 toWinterson et al., 2007/0062549 to Holton, Jr. et al.; 2007/0186941 toHolton, Jr. et al.; 2008/0166395 to Roush; and PCT Pub. Nos. WO04/095959 to Amarp et al.; WO 05/063060 to Atchley et al.; WO 06/004480to Engstrom; WO 05/041699 to Quinter et al.; and WO 07/138484 to Wrennet al.; each of which is incorporated herein by reference. One type ofsmokeless tobacco product is referred to as “snuff.” Snuff typically isformulated in “moist” or “dry” forms.

Representative smokeless tobacco products have been marketed under thetrade names Oliver Twist by House of Oliver Twist A/S; Copenhagen,Skoal, SkoalDry, Rooster, Red Seal, Husky, and Revel by U.S. SmokelessTobacco Co.; “taboka” by Philip Morris USA; and Levi Garrett, Peachy,Taylor's Pride, Kodiak, Hawken Wintergreen, Grizzly, Dental, KentuckyKing, Mammoth Cave by Conwood Sales Co., L.P., Interval by Brown &Williamson Tobacco Corp., and Ariva and Stonewall by Star Scientific,Inc.

Representative types of snuff products, commonly referred to as “snus,”are manufactured in Europe, particularly in Sweden, by or throughcompanies such as Swedish Match AB, Fiedler & Lundgren AB, Gustavus AB,Skandinavisk Tobakskompagni A/S and Rocker Production AB. Snus productsavailable in the U.S.A. are marketed under the trade names Camel SnusFrost, Camel Snus Original and Camel Snus Spice by R. J. ReynoldsTobacco Company.

Snus products, such as Camel Snus Original, are commonly supplied insmall teabag-like pouches. The pouches are typically a nonwoven fleecematerial, and contain about 0.4 to 1.5 grams of pasteurized tobacco.These products typically remain in a user's mouth for about 10-30minutes. Unlike certain other smokeless tobacco products, snus do notrequire expectoration by the user.

Consumers who formerly used smoking products and switch over to snus orother pouched tobacco products may find that the initial feeling in themouth along the cheek or gum is uncomfortable. Therefore, there exists aneed to improve the initial mouth feel of the snus pouch.

The fleece used for snus also may exhibit discoloration after beingstored over time. This discoloration typically displays as a yellowingof the fleece material. This discoloration can make the snus pouchesunappealing to the consumer. Furthermore, the consumer may assume thatthe snus pouch has degraded in some fashion because of thediscoloration, and dispose of the pouch without using it. There exists aneed to reduce this type of discoloration. Furthermore, snus pouches aretypically a whitish color, and different flavors of snus are not easilydistinguished. There exists a need to have a way to easily identifydifferent snus flavors from sight alone.

Problems exist in the art with respect to efficiently feeding tobaccointo pouches. The problems lie in the material flow through the hopperof the high-speed pouching equipment. The feed hoppers are subject todead zones and rat holes due to the dimensions of the hopper and theproperties of the tobacco that is supplied to the hopper. This causesloss of product flow in the hopper. Dead zones occur in the lower areaof the hopper, where the slope of the hopper tends to pack the tobaccomaterial against the bottom wall. Rat holes can occur in multiple areasof the middle section of the hopper, and like dead zones, they choke offthe flow of tobacco to the feed screw. This requires the operator toregularly clean this area and push the tobacco back into the feed screw.This increases production time and lowers production efficiency. Thereis a need for improvements to these pouching machines to improvemanufacturing speed and efficiency.

Snus are also commonly supplied in various flavors such as Camel SnusFrost and Camel Snus Spice. The snus may be flavored by mixing flavorinto the tobacco, adding microcapsules or the like to the tobacco, oradding flavor strips to the tobacco. U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/781,604 to Dube et al. describes numerous methods of accomplishingthis, and is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.Typically, one flavor is supplied in one package because otherwise, theflavors can leech into each other, which can adversely affect the tasteof all of the flavors.

However, while a consumer can use a snus pouch almost anywhere, it isnecessary to dispose of the pouch in a convenient fashion once theconsumer is through with it. It would be desirable to have a method ofdisposing of a used snus pouch without necessarily having toconveniently find a suitable disposal container in a timely manner (e.g.a garbage can . . . etc.). For example, after a user has finished a snuspouch or other smokeless tobacco pouch, there is a need to dispose ofthe pouch. A user must either find a waste disposal container or simplyhold on to the used pouch if they do not want to litter. A used snus orother smokeless tobacco pouch is typically damp and unpleasant to keepin a user's pocket. A user could wrap the pouch in paper or tissue ofsome kind, assuming it is handy. Another alternative would be to put thepouch back in the container, but the used and damp pouch couldnegatively affect the unused pouches. Furthermore, with the onset ofmore restrictions on smoking, public areas have a reduced number ofashtrays available for disposal of cigarette butts and other smokedarticles. There is also a need for a simple and convenient disposalmeans for such materials that can be carried by a user. In the case ofsnuff tins, one method to store used snuff is to provide a rotatabledividing wall to create a separate chamber for storing used snuff, asdisclosed in PCT Pub. Nos. WO 08/066450 and WO 08/066451, both toSjoberg et al. Other snus tins containing separate compartments havebeen disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/297,520 to Patelet al. and U.S. patent applicaton Ser. No. 29/297,517 to Patel et al.Methods of attaching holding devices for lighters or advertisements oncigarette boxes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2008/0128300 toBahar et al. A cigarette box that can convert into an ashtray fordisposal of used cigarette butts is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Pub. No.2008/0121243 to Galoyan.

Snus products have been packaged in tins, “pucks” or “pots” that aremanufactured from metal or plastic such as those disclosed in PCT Pub.Nos. WO 08/066450 and WO 08/066451 to Sjoberg et al. In certaincircumstances, smokeless tobacco products such as snus are refrigeratedprior to sale, typically for the purpose of prolonging the freshness andmoisture content thereof. For example, smokeless tobacco products,particularly moist tobacco products, can be refrigerated in order toavoid or retard absorption of contaminants that provide an undesirableflavor or odor to the product, avoid or retard the developmentdiscoloration or staining of the product, and to avoid or retard theactivity of biologically active microorganisms. For example, smokelesstobacco products, and typically moist snuff types of products, can berefrigerated to retard the effects of enzymatic and other biologicalactivities, pH changes, oxidation, and other effects that have atendency to shorten product shelf-life or stability. Snus formulationsare typically refrigerated at 38°-40° F. during storage and shipping.The need to keep such formulations refrigerated increases the cost ofshipping and storing snus. Another method of keeping moist smokelesstobacco products fresh by thermally treating the smokeless tobaccoproducts is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2008/0156338 to Winterson etal.

It would be desirable to provide efficient and improved snus or othersmokeless formulations with improved components, improved methods ofmanufacturing, and improved packaging, all associated with efficientproduction of products that provide enjoyment and satisfaction whenemployed by a user of that smokeless tobacco product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to packaging for tobacco products insmokeless form, including those smokeless tobacco products characterizedas “snus.” The products include a smokeless tobacco composition orformulation. For example, the smokeless tobacco formulation includesparticles or pieces of tobacco, and may include other ingredients, suchas salts, sweeteners, binders, colorants, pH adjusters, fillers,flavoring agents, disintegration aids, antioxidants, humectants, andpreservatives. The moisture content of the particles of the tobacco mayvary.

The tobacco formulation can be contained within a container, such as apouch or bag, such as is the type commonly used for the manufacture ofsnus types of products (e.g., a sealed, moisture permeable pouch that issometimes referred to as a “portion”). A representative moisturepermeable pouch can be composed of a “fleece” type of material. Thetobacco formulation is in turn contained within a package. The packageis sealed tightly, and is composed of a suitable material, such that theatmospheric conditions within that sealed package are modified and/orcontrolled; that is, the sealed package can provide a good barrier thatinhibits the passage of compositions such as moisture and oxygentherethrough; in addition, the atmosphere within the sealed package canbe further modified by introducing a selected gaseous species (e.g.,nitrogen, argon, or a mixture thereof) into the package prior to sealingor by drawing a vacuum therein (vacuum sealing). As such, theatmospheric conditions to which the tobacco composition is exposed arecontrolled during conditions of preparation, packing, storage andhandling.

In one aspect, a tobacco product configured for insertion into the mouthof a user of that product comprises a water-permeable pouch containing atobacco formulation that includes a granular tobacco composition andmiraculin.

In one aspect, a tobacco product configured for insertion into the mouthof a user of that product comprises a tobacco formulation including agranular tobacco composition enclosed within a water-permeable pouchthat has been reacted with miraculin.

In one aspect, a tobacco product configured for insertion into the mouthof a user of that product, comprises a tobacco formulation including agranular tobacco composition enclosed within a water-permeable pouchthat is coated with miraculin.

In one aspect, a tobacco product configured for insertion into the mouthof a user of that product, comprises a tobacco formulation including agranular tobacco composition enclosed within a water-permeable pouchthat has been treated with a substance selected from the groupconsisting of: an analgesic, a buffer, a coloring, an effervescent, oran organic acid.

In one aspect, a container for storing a smokeless tobacco productcomprises an interior and an exterior, with an onsert attached to theexterior of the container. The onsert comprises a closed end, an openend, and a flap extending from the open end.

In one aspect, a container for storing a smokeless tobacco productcomprises an interior and an exterior, with an onsert attached to theinterior of the container. The onsert comprises a closed end, an openend, and a flap extending from the open end.

In one aspect, a container for storing a smokeless tobacco productcomprises an interior and an exterior, with an onsert attached to theexterior of the container. The onsert comprises a flexible bag with aclosed portion and an open portion. The flexible bag has a flat positionand an open position.

In one aspect, a container for storing a smokeless tobacco productcomprises an interior and an exterior, with an onsert attached to theexterior of the container. The onsert comprises a pouch having a slotdefined in the outer surface of the pouch and the pouch is squeezablefrom opposing sides to open the slot and access the interior of thepouch.

In one aspect, a container for smokeless tobacco comprises a lid and acorresponding bottom piece having an outside wall and at least onedividing wall extending between opposite sides of the outside wall anddividing the bottom piece into a plurality of compartments. A seal isremovably positioned over each compartment.

In one aspect, an improved pouching machine comprises a feed hopper witha first and a second end and a feed screw with a plurality of pinsextending from the circumference. The feed screw is connected to a firstshaft and the first shaft is connected to a motor to rotate the firstshaft. An agitator screw is positioned adjacent to the feed screw andhas a plurality of pins extending from the circumference. The agitatorscrew is connected to a second shaft.

In one aspect, an improved tobacco pouching machine comprises a feedhopper having a first end, a second end, a top and a bottom with a firstrotatable screw positioned near the bottom of said feed hopper. A secondrotatable screw is positioned above the first rotatable screw, and apulley system connects the first screw to the second screw, such thatwhen the first screw rotates, the second screw rotates in an oppositedirection.

In one aspect, a method for preventing packing of tobacco in a tobaccohopper, comprises the steps of providing a feed screw with a pluralityof pins extending from an outer diameter of the feed screw and providingan agitator with a plurality of pins extending from an outer diameter ofsaid outer diameter. The feed screw and said agitator screws are rotatedin opposite directions to move tobacco through the hopper.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to provide an understanding of embodiments of the invention,reference is made to the appended drawings, in which reference numeralsrefer to components of described exemplary embodiments of the invention.The drawings are exemplary only, and should not be construed as limitingthe invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an open container for smokeless tobaccowith part of a removable seal cut away.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an open container for smokeless tobaccowith the top shown in phantom and a removable seal in place.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an open container for smokeless tobaccowith a removable seal partly removed.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a closed container for smokelesstobacco.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a tobacco product in theform of a snus type of product individually wrapped in an outer package.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a tobacco product in the form of asnus type of product, wherein several snus-type products are wrapped inan outer package and that outer package is contained within a generallycylindrical plastic or metal tin.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a closed container for smokeless tobaccohaving a closed onsert attached thereon.

FIG. 8 is a side plan view of the closed container for smokeless tobaccoof FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the closed container for smokelesstobacco of FIG. 7 with the onsert in an open position.

FIG. 10 is a side plan view of the closed container for smokelesstobacco of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a closed container for smokelesstobacco having a closed onsert attached thereon with a seal in placeover the onsert.

FIG. 12 is a side plan view of the closed container for smokelesstobacco of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the closed container for smokelesstobacco of FIG. 11 with the seal partially removed.

FIG. 14 is a side plan view of the closed container for smokelesstobacco of FIG. 11 with the seal partially removed.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a container for smokeless tobacco withthe top removed and an onsert attached to the interior of the top.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a closed container for smokelesstobacco with an onsert attached thereon.

FIG. 17 is a side perspective view of an infeed and metering system fora tobacco pouching machine.

FIG. 18 is a rear perspective view of an infeed and metering system fora tobacco pouching machine.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a hopper for the infeed and meteringsystem of a tobacco pouching machine.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the infeed and metering system of FIG.17 showing the formation of a dead zone in the tobacco.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a hopper for the infeed and meteringsystem of FIG. 19 showing the formation of a rat hole in the tobacco.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present inventions now will be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings. The inventions may be embodiedin many different forms and should not be construed as limited to theembodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided sothat this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Likenumbers refer to like elements throughout. As used in this specificationand the claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include pluralreferents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, a first embodiment of a snus tin 10 is shownsuch as that disclosed in related U.S. patent application Ser. Nos.29/297,520 and 29/297,517 to Patel et al. A typical tin 10 is comprisedof plastic or metal top 12 and bottom 16 pieces. FIGS. 1-3 show the tin10 with the top 12 already removed and FIG. 4 shows the closed tin 10.

A tin 10 is the short, rounded edge, generally cylindrical containerused for the marketing of snus products. See, for example, the types ofrepresentative snuff-box types of designs set forth in PCT Pub. No. WO05/016036 to Bjorkholm. Other types of containers that can be suitablymodified are plastic or metal type containers set forth in U.S. Pat. No.7,014,039 to Henson et al. See, also, the types of hard containers usedfor the commercial distribution of Camel Snus by R. J. Reynolds TobaccoCompany; Revel Mint Tobacco Packs type of smokeless tobacco product byU.S. Smokeless Tobacco Corporation; SkoalDry by U.S. Smokeless TobaccoCo. and “taboka” by Philip Morris USA. If desired, the type of containerused for the “taboka” product can be adapted to possess a slidable lid(e.g., one that slides generally parallel to the longitudinal axis ofthe container) so that the container can be opened and closed. Ifdesired, the container can have an accordion or bellows type of design,such that the container can be extended open for filling with smokelesstobacco product during production, and then contracted after filling ofthe container is complete. If desired, containers can be equipped withsuitable seals or grommets, so that when an opened container is re-shut,a good seal is provided.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, individual pouch sealed tobacco portions 18are contained within the tin 10. The number of tobacco portions 18within the tin 10 can vary, and can be a number such as 10, 12, 15, 20,25 or 30. The tin 10 is in turn packaged within a sealed outer packagewhich is tightly sealed at each end and is constructed from anappropriate material, such that the atmosphere 22 within that outerpackage, and within the tin 10, is controlled. For example, theatmosphere within the package can be controlled such that the atmosphereis composed of high purity nitrogen gas, or other suitable gaseousspecies such as carbon dioxide. Such a method is disclosed in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/014,525 to Robinson et al., and is hereinincorporated by reference in its entirety. In use, the outer package isopened, the tin 10 is opened, and individual tobacco portions 18 areremoved as desired from the tin 10.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, one embodiment has four separate compartments 24are provided. Each compartment 24 may contain a different flavor ofsnuff or snus pouches. Alternatively, all the compartments 24 couldcontain the same type of smokeless tobacco, and the provision of theseparate compartments allows a user to open one compartment 24 at atime. The other compartments 24 remain airtight and the freshness of thesmokeless tobacco in the sealed compartments 24 is not compromised.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a single removable flap 26 covers allfour compartments 24 and a user peels back the flap 26 to open one ormore compartments 24. Alternatively, each compartment 24 could have anindividual flap 28, as shown in FIG. 1, allowing a user to remove one ormore flaps to open one or more compartment 24. The flaps 26, 28 couldalso be resealable. The compartments 24 could take any number of shapes.Some could be larger than others, and contain different amounts orflavors of smokeless tobacco.

The flaps 26, 28 can be constructed from various materials known in theart capable of maintaining an air and moisture tight seal. For example,metal foil/paper laminates, metalized paper, plastic wrappers, metalizedpolymeric film or low permeability transparent polymeric sheets areeffective. Exemplary materials are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Pub. No.2004/0217023 to Fagg et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 7,124,883 to Thomas etal., both of which are herein incorporated in their entirety. It ispreferred to utilize a low-permeability material for the construction ofthe tin 10 and the internal compartment dividers 30 to further reduceflavors or aromas leeching between the compartments 24. Such a materialcould be an injection-moldable polymeric material, typically athermoplastic or thermosetting polymer such as polypropylene,polyethylene terephthalate (“PET”) or polyethylene vinyl alcohol. Otherexemplary injection-moldable materials that can be utilized for the tin10 and/or the compartment dividers 30 are acrylonitrile butadienestyrene (“ABS”), polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (“PVC”) andpolystyrene. In order to further reduce the leeching of flavors into thetin 10 materials and vice versa, the mold can be lined with aluminumfoil such that there is an aluminum layer on the inside surface 32 ofthe tin 10.

The low-permeability material could also be metallic, and the materialused for the lids 12 and body 16 could differ from the material used forthe internal dividers 30. Furthermore, the lid 12, body 16, and internaldividers 30 could all be comprised of different materials.

The flaps 26, 28 could also incorporate other features. Words, colors orpictures could be stamped or printed on the flaps 26, 28 to designatethe type of tobacco in each compartment 24. The material itself could becolored, rather than having color stamped on it. Adhesives known in theart can be used to seal the flaps 26, 28 in place and to reseal them inplace once they have been opened. Exemplary materials that can beutilized to seal the flaps 26, 28 closed may be low, moderate and hightack reclosable adhesives. These adhesives can be based on naturalrubber, hot melt rubber (synthetic), acrylic or silicone.

Referring to FIGS. 7-16, another embodiment of a container 10 for asmokeless tobacco product is shown. In a first embodiment, the container10 shown in FIGS. 7-10 includes a package onsert 34 that is capable ofholding one or more used smokeless tobacco pouches 18. With respect tothe embodiment above, as previously stated, the used pouches 18 could bestored in one of the separate compartments 24 that has already beenemptied of pouches 18.

In this embodiment, the onsert 34 is positioned on the outside of thesmokeless tobacco container 10 as shown in FIGS. 7-10. The onsert 34 isprovided in a substantially flat initial form so that it does notsignificantly increase the size of the smokeless tobacco container 10.The onsert 34 is designed to expand as it is filled. In a firstembodiment of such an onsert 34, shown in FIGS. 7-10, the onsert 34 isan “accordion-type” onsert 34 with at least one accordion pleat 36 onthree sides. The onsert 34 also has a closed end 42 and an open end 44.The open end 44 is preferably supplied with a flap 46 that can be foldedover the open end 44. The open end 44 can be on the narrow side 48, asshown in FIG. 9, or on the wide side 50.

The flap 46 can be bifold or multifold, and can include temporary orpermanent adhesive to seal the onsert 34 closed. Exemplary materialsthat can be utilized to seal the flap 46 closed may be low, moderate andhigh tack reclosable adhesives. These adhesives can be based on naturalrubber, hot melt rubber (synthetic), acrylic or silicone. A furtheralternative embodiment of the onsert 34, shown in FIG. 16, includes aslit 52 in the outer surface 56, with the narrow 48 and wide 50 sidesurfaces closed. In use, the sides 48 of the onsert 34 are squeezedtogether to open the slit 52 in the outer surface 56. The used pouch 18is then placed in the onsert 34.

The onsert 34 can be made from waterproof or water impermeable materialssuch as paper, plastic, foil, waxed paper, or other commonly usedmaterials. Furthermore, the onsert 34 can be multi-ply, with one plybeing waterproof. For example, an inside layer 54 can be plastic filmwhile the outer layer 56 is an opaque material to keep the contentshidden. The opaque layer can further comprise high-quality graphics suchas those used on current onserts to carry a message to the consumer. Anonsert 34 could further comprise a booklet on the outside surface 56.The onsert 34 can be fixed to the smokeless tobacco container 10 eitherpermanently or temporarily using common adhesives. Exemplary materialsthat can be utilized to affix the onsert 34 to the smokeless tobaccocontainer 10 may be low, moderate and high tack reclosable adhesives.These adhesives can be based on natural rubber, hot melt rubber(synthetic), acrylic or silicone.

Additionally, the flap 46 of the onsert 34 can be angled as shown inFIGS. 7 and 9 and one side 56 of the onsert 34 can have a correspondingslot 58 into which the flap 46 is inserted in order to hold the flap 46in place and keep the onsert 34 closed. Alternatively, the flap 46 caninclude an adhesive on one side, such as low, moderate and high tackreclosable adhesives. These adhesives can be based on natural rubber,hot melt rubber (synthetic), acrylic or silicone and can eitherpermanently or temporarily hold the flap 46 in place.

In an alternative embodiment shown in FIGS. 11-15, the onsert can be anappropriately sized plastic bag 60 with one open end 62. The bag 60 issealed on three other sides 64. The bag 60 is attached to a substrate 70coated with a reclosable adhesive. The substrate 70 is sized larger thanthe bag 60 to leave an adhesive layer 68 surrounding the bag 60. Thesubstrate 70 can be paper, plastic or a laminate of paper/plastic,paper/foil, or plastic/foil, for example. Graphics can be applied to thesubstrate which would be visible from the side opposite of the adhesive.The adhesive side is applied to the container 10. If desired, a foldedcorner 72, or edge may be provided to allow for ease in opening.Alternatively, the corner or edge could be left free of adhesive. Thebag 60 could have a small piece of pressure sensitive tape or adhesive74 on one side of the bag 60 to attach bag 60 to the container 10. Whenthe resealable substrate 70 is lifted, the substrate 70 pulls the bag 60open and the adhesive 74 holds the opposite side of the bag 60 againstthe outside 56 of the tin 10. This allows the mouth 62 of the bag 60 toopen while the bag 60 is still attached to the outside 56 of the tin 10.Other tapes could be used as the substrate or adhesives applied to thesubstrate as are known in the art.

In addition, the inside of the onsert 34 could contain a disinfectant orsanitizer to allow hygienic storage of the spent snus pouch 18. Examplesof disinfectants include (but are not limited to) citric acid, thymol,and quarternary ammonium compounds such as alkyl dimethyl benzylammonium chlorides and alkyl dimethylethyl benzyl ammonium chlorides.

Onserts and methods of applying them to the outside of packages aredisclosed in U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2008/0128300 to Bahar et al., U.S. Pat.No. 7,228,961 to Koettner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,174,938 to Cadieux etal., U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,927 to Focke et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,927 toTallier et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,134 to Thomas et al., and U.S. Pat.No. 2,011,399 to Driscoll, which are each hereby incorporated byreference in their entirety, and the present embodiments of the onsert34 may be applied in the same fashion, or in any other fashion known tothose skilled in the art. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 15, the onsert34 could be attached to the internal side 14 of the lid 12 of thesmokeless tobacco container 10 to minimize the increase in size of theentire container 10.

In use, once a user is done with a pouch of a smokeless tobacco product,the user can place the used pouch in the onsert 34 and seal it closed,either permanently or temporarily. The material of the onsert 34prevents the damp used pouch from staining a user's pocket, andeliminates the immediate need to find a disposal bin. Furthermore, theonsert 34 can be sized to accept the same number of pouches that areprovided in the smokeless tobacco container 10.

Since many of the formats described are substantially flat until used,multiple layers of the described onserts 34 could also be applied suchthat when one layer is used, it could be removed for disposal whenconvenient, and another layer is exposed for subsequent use.

Moreover, the present onsert 34 could be utilized as a cigarette buttdisposal unit as well if it were to be attached to a cigarette box. Forexample, the onserts 34 previously described could be lined withaluminum foil so as to better inhibit stale smoke smell from escapingthe sealed onsert 34. Alternatively, the papers and plastics used couldbe laminated to aluminum foil. Alternatively, the plastic bag 60previously described could be replaced with aluminum foil.

Finally, the onsert 34 could take any shape or size depending on thesmokeless tobacco container 10 it is attached to, and how much materialit needs to hold. The onsert 34 could also have printing or otherdesignations on it to maximize its usefulness so that the manufacturerdoes not give up valuable advertising space on the outside of thesmokeless tobacco container 10.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an embodiment of a smokeless tobaccoproduct 18 that can be placed in the containers described previously.The tobacco product 18 includes a moisture-permeable pouch 78. Theillustrated pouch 78 is sealed closed along its length at an overlapregion 82. The overlap region may be formed by sealing the bottomportion of one edge of the pouch 78 over the top portion of the oppositeedge of the pouch (e.g., by heat sealing, suitable adhesive, or othersuitable means). A solid tobacco material 80 is disposed within thepouch 82.

Suitable packets, pouches or containers of the type used for themanufacture of smokeless tobacco products are available under the tradenames “taboka,” CatchDry, Ettan, General, Granit, Goteborgs Rape,GrovSnus White, Metropol Kaktus, Mocca Anis, Mocca Mint, MoccaWintergreen, Kicks, Probe, Prince, Skruf, TreAnkrare, Camel SnusOriginal, Camel Snus Frost and Camel Snus Spice. The tobacco formulationmay be contained in pouches and packaged, in a manner and using thetypes of components used for the manufacture of conventional snusproducts. The pouch or fleece provides a liquid-permeable container of atype that may be considered to be similar in character to the mesh-liketype of material that is used for the construction of a tea bag.Components of the loosely arranged, granular tobacco formulation readilydiffuse through the pouch 78 and into the mouth of the user.

In certain embodiments, an exemplary pouch 78 may be manufactured frommaterials, and in such a manner, such that during use by the user, thepouch 78 undergoes a controlled dispersion or dissolution. Such pouchmaterials may have the form of a mesh, screen, perforated paper,permeable fabric, or the like. For example, pouch material manufacturedfrom a mesh-like form of rice paper, or perforated rice paper, maydissolve in the mouth of the user. As a result, the pouch 78 and tobaccoformulation each may undergo complete dispersion within the mouth of theuser during normal conditions of use, and hence the pouch 78 and tobaccoformulation both may be ingested by the user. Other exemplary pouchmaterials may be manufactured using water dispersible film formingmaterials (e.g., binding agents such as alginates,carboxymethylcellulose, xanthan gum, pullulan, and the like), as well asthose materials in combination with materials such as ground cellulosics(e.g., fine particle size wood pulp). Preferred pouch materials, thoughwater dispersible or dissolvable, may be designed and manufactured suchthat under conditions of normal use, a significant amount of the tobaccoformulation contents permeate through the pouch material prior to thetime that the pouch undergoes loss of its physical integrity. Ifdesired, flavoring ingredients, disintegration aids, and other desiredcomponents, may be incorporated within, or applied to, the pouchmaterial.

Descriptions of various components of snus products and componentsthereof also are set forth in U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2004/0118422 to Lundinet al., which is incorporated herein by reference. See, also, forexample, U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,479 to Linden; U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,899 toNielsen; U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,734 to Wydick et al.; and U.S. Pat. No.6,162,516 to Derr, and U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2005/0061339 to Hansson etal.; each of which is incorporated herein by reference. See, also, therepresentative types of pouches, and pouch material or fleece, set forthin U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,244 to Kjerstad, which is incorporated herein byreference. Snus products can be manufactured using equipment such asthat available as SB 51-1/T, SBL 50 and SB 53-2/T from MerzVerpackungmaschinen GmBH. G.D SpA out of Italy also supplies tobaccopouching equipment. Snus pouches can be provided as individual pouches,or a plurality of pouches (e.g., 2, 4, 5, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25 or 30pouches) and can be connected or linked together (e.g., in an end-to-endmanner) such that a single pouch or individual portion can be readilyremoved for use from a one-piece strand or matrix of pouches.

The present invention also encompasses various additions andmodifications to the fleece material of the pouches. The fleecematerials used for the pouches are typically nonwoven materials.Materials such as liquids, encapsulated products, or powders can beincorporated into these nonwoven materials at various points duringtheir manufacture to accomplish many different purposes such as:controlling the pH produced in the user's mouth upon insertion,flavoring, reducing the initial sting of the tobacco product in themouth, coloring the fleece, or reducing discoloration of the nonwovenmaterial. Exemplary fleece materials include BFF's SDH27 Natural Gradeand BFF's SDH27 Brown.

Nonwovens such as those used in tobacco containing fleece pouches aretextiles that are neither woven or knit. They are generally made byextruding a polymeric material into continuous filaments and thenproviding a type of bond such as meltblown, spunbond or spunlaid.Typical synthetic polymers used in manufacturing nonwovens arepolypropylene and polyesters. Other types of nonwoven materials aretypically manufactured by chopping the extruded filaments into smallfibers to form a staple material, and then combining them together toform a net or web which is then bound in a various number of ways. Forexample, the fibers can be bound mechanically, with an adhesive, orutilizing a binder material. Two common nonwovens are staple nonwovensand spunlaid nonwovens.

Staple nonwovens are made in two steps. The extruded fibers are spun,cut to a few centimeters in length and baled. The bales are dispersed ona conveyor belt and the fibers are spread in a uniform web by a wetlaid,drylaid or airlaid process or by carding. Staple nonwovens are thenbound, typically by using resin or thermal bonding.

Spunlaid nonwovens are made in one continuous process. Fibers are spunand then directly dispersed into a web by deflectors or can be directedwith air streams. Spunlaid nonwovens are bonded either by resin orthermally.

There are also other methods of manufacturing nonwovens such as startingwith films and fibrillate and serrating or vacuum-forming them withpatterned holes. These methods are commonly known in the art.

Several bonding methods can also be used depending on the type ofnonwoven that is being manufactured. Thermal bonding comprises applyingheat to the nonwoven, and hydroentaglement comprises mechanicalintertwining of fibers by water jets. Ultrasonic pattern bonding canalso be utilized, and needlefelt comprises mechanical intertwining offibers by needles. Chemical bonding is also possible using binders suchas latex emulsion or solution polymers to chemically join the fibers.Chemical bonding can also be used with binder fibers or powders thatsoften and melt to hold other non-melting fibers together. One type ofcotton staple nonwoven is treated with sodium hydroxide to shrink bondthe mat by causing the cellulose-based fibers to curl up and shrinkaround each other. Finally, meltblown means that the nonwovens areweakly bonded from the air attenuated fibers intertangling withthemselves during web formation as well as the temporary tackiness whenthey are forming.

It is known that nonwoven substrate material can be produced that cangive off an aroma and/or a flavor, particularly when moistened. Such anonwoven substrate and a method for forming it is set forth in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/219,111 to Tharreau which is hereinincorporated by reference in its entirety. The nonwoven substrate ofTharreau is formed through a process comprising a stage of thermalattachment of cyclodextrin particles to the nonwoven substrate. Theresulting product is able to give off an aroma and/or a flavor when itis subsequently moistened with water, or when placed in a user's mouth.

Many different additives, as described above, could be added to thenonwoven during manufacture. For example, as set forth in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/014,525, to Robinson et al., buffers arecommonly used in snus formulations to maintain the pH levels duringshipping and storage without the need for refrigeration. These buffersare typically added to the snus tobacco formulation themselves, but inthe present embodiment of the invention, the buffer solution is alsoadded directly to the nonwoven pouch material during manufacture. In oneembodiment of the present method, the buffer solution is added to thepolymer material before extrusion of the fiber into filaments. In analternative embodiment, the extruded fibers are soaked in the buffersolution after extrusion. It is typically added to the snus formulationin an amount that is about 3-12% of the dry weight of the snusformulation. As disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/014,525, to Robinson et al., improved buffering characteristics overtime can be obtained by using sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate ata ratio of between about 1:75 and about 1:80, although ratios from 1:20up to 1:99 are also effective.

This method can also be used to incorporate an analgesic into the fleecematerial, such as oil of cloves, eugenol, or other chemical compoundscapable of providing analgesic effects. The compounds can vary dependingon whether the product was designed for over the counter or prescriptionuse. The use of such analgesics in the pouch can reduce the initialsting that is sometimes felt by a user upon insertion of the snus pouchinto the mouth.

Analgesics can include opioids and other medicaments such as morphine,mepidine, dentanyl, sufentranil, alfentanil, aspirin, acetaminophen,ibuprofen, indomethacine, naproxen, atrin, isocome, midrin, axotal,firinal, phrenilin, ergot, and ergot derivatives (wigraine, cafergot,ergostat, ergomar, dihydroergotamine), imitrex, and ketoprofen. Suchmedicaments have been used in the past in over-coated chewing gumformulations, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,716 to Ream et al.,which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. When ananalgesic is incorporated into the fleece, the analgesic loading levelsare such that during use, the analgesic is released into the saliva andabsorbed through the oral mucosa.

Effervescent substances can also be added to the snus tobacco ordirectly to the fleece pouch to aid in absorption of medicaments intothe buccal cavity. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,974,590 to Panther et al.Effervescent compositions have also been employed for use as tastemasking agents in dosage forms which are not dissolved in water prior toadministration. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,368 to Niazi et al.describes a chewing gum containing a medicament capable of absorptionthrough the buccal cavity and containing a taste masking amount of aneffervescent.

More recently effervescents have been employed to obtain rapiddissolution and/or dispersion of the medicament in the oral cavity. SeeU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,178,878 and 5,223,264 to Wehling et al. Theeffervescent tends to stimulate saliva production thereby providingadditional water to aid in further effervescent action. These dosageforms give an agreeable presentation of the drug, particularly forpatients who have difficulty in swallowing tablets or capsules. PCT Pub.No. WO 97/06786 to Johnson et al. describes pre-gastric absorption ofcertain drugs using rapidly-disbursing dosage forms. An example ofadding an effervescent material to a hydroentangled textile is disclosedin U.S. Pat. No. 7,381,667 to Bergquist et al.

Another method to reduce bitterness in the products that is encompassedby the present invention is to add citric acid to the pouch. Citric acidcan enhance the flavor notes of the product and can reduce bitterness aswell. Other methods of reducing bitterness include the addition ofpropolis or eucalyptus to the pouch. Furthermore, these materials can beadded to the tobacco directly, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,668,839to Williams. Alternatively, the tobacco itself can be aged or ground ina specific manner to remove bitterness. Fillers, sweeteners, and casingagents, as well as other materials, can be used alone or in combinationto obtain the desired flavor and mouth feel for the user.

Another method for controlling the mouth feel and taste of a snus orother smokeless tobacco product is to utilize so called “miracle fruit”berries. These red berries form the tropical plant called miracle fruit,Richadella dulcifica or Synsepalum dulcificum, reduce the sour andbitter taste of acids and add sweet and palatable taste. The miraclefruit berries contain a taste-modifying glycoprotein, miraculin, whichis comprised of 191 amino acids, includes carbohydrate residues and hasa molecular mass of 24,600 (Jrnl. of Bio. Chem. 1989, 264, 6655-6659).The native miraculin protein is a tetramer held together by severaldisulfide bridges. The taste modification is well established anddescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,555 to Harvey. Sources of the fruit arefound in Western Africa, as well as in Florida, USA. The fruit and fruitextract are available commercially through various suppliers. Theisolated miraculin protein is also commercially available, most likelypurified via methodology described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,886,155 to Armahet al.

Incorporation of miracle fruit, extract, or isolated miraculin into“smokeless” tobacco articles such as snus is accomplished by crushingand dehydrating the fruit to obtain an extract, or using commerciallyavailable extract or isolated protein (extracts). The extracts may beadded directly to the tobacco before processing, during processing, orcased onto a finished “smokeless” tobacco product by embedding orcoating the snus fleece with the extracts. Miracle fruit may also beadded to other smokeless tobacco products such as rods, sticks, tubesand other types as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2008/0029110 to Dubeet al., which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

According to U.S. Pat. No. 3,681,087 to Johnson, the unit dosage ofmiracle fruit extract is between 0.1 and 50 mg, with an optimuminclusion for taste modification between 20 and 30 mg. In regards topurified protein, it is currently unknown what inclusion level would berequired for the desired effect. Since the taste-modification ofmiraculin is dependent upon an acidic environment, the processing oftobacco would need to result in a tobacco saliva solution possessing anacidic pH. Current applications for snus processing require the additionof sodium bicarbonate, which moves this pH towards basicity. This stepwould be removed, though a bitter taste would be expected, however,subsequently modified by miraculin inclusion. Fewer sweeteners wouldneed to be added to the smokeless product, as the bitter acid taste ofthe tobacco constituents in the smokeless product would be modified intoa sweet taste in the presence of miraculin.

Mouth feel can also be controlled by controlling the way the pouchallows elements to leech out of the pouch into a user's mouth. The pouchcan be constructed such that only certain areas of the pouch arepermeable, thus controlling the rate of absorption through the buccalcavity.

Another method of controlling mouth feel in a snus tobacco product is toincorporate a form of effervescence into either the tobacco itself, orinto the snus fleece pouch as previously described.

Finally, a drawback to fleece snus pouches is that they tend to stainand discolor over time. Another embodiment of the present inventionsolves this problem by incorporating an additive, such as ethylcelluloseor nitrocellulose, to the nonwoven material. Alternatively, the methodcan encompass rotogravure printing the side of the pouch that comes intocontact with the tobacco in this fashion. The pouch could also be coatedwith akyl ketene dimer (CAS #144245-85-2). Another method to retarddiscoloration is to use two separate layers of fleece. The inside layerwould retard the transfer of colorants from the tobacco to the outsidelayer. The inside layer could be made of lighter weight material sincethe purpose is to act as a spacer to prevent contact of tobacco with theouter layer, not add to the structural strength of the pouch. The insidelayer could also be made of different materials such as lightweight,porous paper or a fine mesh.

A snus pouch could also be used to create a tea-type drink. For example,a snus pouch such as those described above could be soaked in an 8 ounceglass of hot or cold water. The pouch would be allowed to soak or steepin the water for an amount of time so that the tobacco flavor couldleach into the water. The tobacco-flavored beverage could than beenjoyed.

Another embodiment of the present invention encompasses adding colorantssuch as dyes and inks to the nonwoven pouch material to add luster orshine as well as to identify flavors. For example, cinnamon flavoredsnus could have a red tinted pouch, and mint flavored snus could beprovided in a green tinted pouch. Other flavors and corresponding colorsare contemplated. The fleece could also be printed with dissolvablematerials to identify the type of snus, such as “Camel” or the flavor,such as “mint.” Additionally, the inks and dyes could carry additionalflavors or other substances. Furthermore, polymers can be engineered toprovide certain characteristics such as solubility and degradability.

Tobaccos used for the manufacture of tobacco products pursuant to theembodiments herein may vary. The tobaccos may include types of tobaccossuch as flue-cured tobacco, burley tobacco, Oriental tobacco, Marylandtobacco, dark tobacco, dark-fired tobacco and Rustica tobaccos, as wellas other rare or specialty tobaccos. Descriptions of various types oftobaccos, growing practices, harvesting practices and curing practicesare set forth in Tobacco Production, Chemistry and Technology, Davis etal. (Eds.) (1999), which is incorporated herein by reference. See, also,the types of tobaccos that are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,577 toSensabaugh, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,416 to White et al.; U.S.Pat. No. 6,730,832 to Dominguez et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,025,066 toLawson et al.; U.S. Pat. Pub. Nos. 2007/0062549 to Holton, Jr. et al.and 2007/0186941 to Holton, Jr. et al.; and U.S. patent application Ser.No. 11/781,666 to Humphrey, each of which is incorporated herein byreference. Most preferably, the tobacco materials are those that havebeen appropriately cured and aged. Especially preferred techniques andconditions for curing flue-cured tobacco are set forth in Nestor et al.,Beitrage Tabakforsch. Int., 20 (2003) 467-475 and U.S. Pat. No.6,895,974 to Peele, which are incorporated herein by reference.Representative techniques and conditions for air curing tobacco are setforth in Roton et al., Beitrage Tabakforsch. Int., 21 (2005) 305-320 andStaaf et al., Beitrage Tabakforsch. Int., 21 (2005) 321-330, which areincorporated herein by reference. See, also U.S. Pat. No. 6,834,654 toWilliams.

Tobacco such as that used in snus marketed under the trade names CamelSnus Frost, Camel Snus Original and Camel Snus Spice by R. J. ReynoldsTobacco Company can also be used. Typically, types of tobacco having 1%or less than 1% nicotine content are used in these formulations and thecollective nicotine content of the tobacco blend is near about 2% thedry weight of the tobacco, often less than 1.5% of the dry weight of thetobacco, frequently 0.5%-1.25% the dry weight of tobacco and often 1% orless of the dry weight of the tobacco.

The tobacco used for the manufacture of the tobacco product preferablyis provided in a shredded, ground, granulated, fine particulate orpowder form. The tobacco used for the manufacture of the tobacco productalso can be processed, blended, formulated, combined and mixed withother materials or ingredients. For example, the tobacco composition canincorporate salts, sweeteners, binders, colorants, pH adjusters orbuffers, fillers, flavoring agents, disintegration aids, antioxidants,humectants, and preservatives. See, for example, those representativecomponents, combination of components, relative amounts of thosecomponents and ingredients relative to tobacco, and manners and methodsfor employing those components, set forth in U.S. Pat. Pub. Nos.2007/0062549 to Holton, Jr. et al., 2007/0186941 to Holton, Jr. et al.,and 2008/0029110 to Dube et al., each of which is incorporated herein byreference. For example, the tobacco product can have the form of a pouchcontaining a tobacco composition, and a flavored strip or film; the formof a pouch containing a tobacco composition, and a flavored strip orfilm incorporating finely divided granules of tobacco and/or tobaccoextract (e.g., components of a spray dried aqueous extract of tobacco);or the form of a highly processed dissolvable film incorporating finelydivided granules of tobacco and/or tobacco extract. Typically, forcertain embodiments, the amount of tobacco material within a portion ofan individual portion of a smokeless tobacco can be, on a dry weightbasis, at least about 30 mg, often at least about 40 mg, and frequentlyat least about 45 mg; while that amount typically is less than about 200mg, often less than about 150 mg, and frequently less than about 100 mg.The tobacco material can have the form of processed tobacco parts orpieces, cured and aged tobacco in essentially natural lamina or stemform, a tobacco extract, extracted tobacco pulp (e.g., using water as asolvent), or a mixture of the foregoing (e.g., a mixture that combinesextracted tobacco pulp with granulated cured and aged natural tobaccolamina).

A blend of different types of tobacco can also be used. For example, amixture can contain a blend of 75% flue cured tobacco and 25% othertypes of tobacco such as burley, Turkish, dark air cured or rarespecialty tobaccos. Or, the blend could be 100% of one type of tobacco,such as flue cured.

The moisture content of the tobacco formulation prior to use by aconsumer of the formulation may vary. Typically, the moisture content ofthe tobacco formulation, as present within the pouch prior to insertioninto the mouth of the user, is less than about 55 weight %, generally isless than about 50 weight %, and often is less than about 45 weight %.Certain types of tobacco formulations have moisture contents, prior touse, of less than about 15 weight %, frequently less than about 10weight %, and often less than about 5 weight %. For certain tobaccoproducts, such as those incorporating snus-type tobacco compositions,the moisture content may exceed 20 weight %, and often may exceed 30weight %. For example, a representative snus-type product may possess atobacco composition exhibiting a moisture content of about 25 weight %to about 50 weight %, preferably about 30 weight % to about 40 weight %.

The manner by which the moisture content of the formulation iscontrolled may vary. For example the formulation may be subjected tothermal or convection heating. As a specific example, the formulationmay be oven-dried, in warmed air at temperatures of about 40° C. toabout 95° C., with a preferred temperature range of about 60° C. toabout 80° C. for a length of time appropriate to attain the desiredmoisture content. Alternatively, tobacco formulations may be moistenedusing casing drums, conditioning cylinders or drums, liquid sprayapparatus, ribbon blenders, mixers available as FKM130, FKM600, FKM1200,FKM2000 and FKM3000 from Littleford Day, Inc., Plough Share types ofmixer cylinders, and the like. Most preferably, moist tobaccoformulations, such as the types of tobacco formulations employed withinsnus products, are subjected to pasteurization or fermentation.Techniques for pasteurizing or fermenting snus types of tobacco productswill be apparent to those skilled in the art of snus product design andmanufacture.

The acid or base content of a tobacco formulation gives it the abilityto produce a pH. In the present application, “the pH of the tobacco”refers to the ability of the tobacco to produce a certain pH level. ThepH of the tobacco formulation can vary. Typically, the pH of thatformulation is at least about 6.5, and preferably at least about 7.5.Typically, the pH of that formulation will not exceed about 9, and oftenwill not exceed about 8.5. A representative tobacco formulation exhibitsa pH of about 6.8 to about 8.2. A representative technique fordetermining the pH of a tobacco formulation involves dispersing 2 g ofthat formulation in 10 ml of high performance liquid chromatographywater, and measuring the pH of the resulting suspension/solution (e.g.,with a pH meter).

If desired, a buffer can be added to the snus formulation to helpmaintain the pH levels during shipping and storage without the need forrefrigeration. Sodium carbonate alone has been used as a buffer in thepast. It is typically added to the snus formulation in an amount that isabout 3-12% of the dry weight of the snus formulation. It has beendiscovered that a new combination of elements provides improvedbuffering characteristics over time, and when combined with the modifiedatmosphere packaging described later, the combination nearly eliminatesany significant change in pH in snus formulations over time without theneed for traditional refrigeration. The preferred buffer formulation issodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate at a ratio of between about 1:75and about 1:80, although ratios from 1:20 up to 1:99 are also effective.

If such a buffer is desired, water is added to a snus tobacco blend tobring the formulation to about 35-36% moisture content. Salt can beadded at the level desired, for example at 1.5% of the dry weight of thesnus formulation. The mixture is pasteurized at about 212° F. (100° C.)for one hour. The mixture is then brought up to between 50% and 55%moisture content in a solution of the buffer made up of sodium carbonateand sodium bicarbonate in the ratios detailed above. The buffer is addedto the snus formulation in an amount that is about 7-15% of the dryweight of the snus formulation bringing the pH from about 9-9.5. Thesnus is then heated at about 175-185° F. until the pH drops to about 8.0to 8.3.

Other buffer recipes are also contemplated, although they may notexhibit the same synergy that the sodium carbonate/sodium bicarbonatebuffer does in conjunction with carbon dioxide modified atmospherepackaging. Other buffer recipes include sodium carbonate and ammoniumbicarbonate at a ratio of 2:3, potassium hydroxide and sodiumbicarbonate at a ratio of 1:75, sodium hydroxide and potassiumbicarbonate at a ratio of 1:75, and potassium hydroxide, sodiumcarbonate and sodium bicarbonate at a ratio of 2:5:3. These bufferrecipes can be added to the snus formulation as described above, in anamount that is about 7-15% of the dry weight of the snus formulation.

If desired, prior to preparation of the tobacco formulation, the tobaccoparts or pieces may be irradiated, or those parts and pieces may bepasteurized, or otherwise subjected to controlled heat treatment.Additionally, if desired, after preparation of all or a portion of theformulation, the component materials may be irradiated, or thosecomponent materials may be pasteurized, or otherwise subjected tocontrolled heat treatment. For example, a formulation may be prepared,followed by irradiation or pasteurization, and then flavoringingredient(s) may be applied to the formulation. Alternatively, thetobacco formulation can be irradiated or pasteurized after the tobaccoformulation has been incorporated within a moisture-permeable packet orpouch (e.g., so as to provide individual containers of snus-typesmokeless tobacco product.

Typically, the amount of tobacco formulation within each individualportion (e.g., within each snus-type pouch) is such that there is atleast about 50 mg, often at least about 150 mg, and frequently at leastabout 250 mg, of dry weigh tobacco; and less than about 700 mg, oftenless than about 500 mg, and frequently less than about 300 mg, of dryweight tobacco. For example, snus-type smokeless tobacco products canhave the form of so-called “portion snus.”

One exemplary snus-type product possesses about 1 g of a tobaccoformulation having a moisture content of about 35 weight %; whichtobacco formulation is contained in a sealed fleece pouch having anoverall length of about 30 mm, a width of about 16 mm, and a height ofabout 5 mm, wherein the length of the compartment area of that pouch isabout 26 mm due to a seal of about 2 mm width at each end of that pouch.Another exemplary snus-type product possesses about 0.5 g of a tobaccoformulation having a moisture content of about 35 weight %; whichtobacco formulation is contained in a sealed fleece pouch having anoverall length of about 26 mm, a width of about 12 mm, and a height ofabout 5 mm, wherein the length of the compartment area of that pouch isabout 22 mm due to a seal of about 2 mm width at each end of that pouch.

Snus pouching is typically performed as an automated, fast-movingprocess utilizing machines that have been developed to portion thetobacco without clumping or excessive drying. However, clumping stillcommonly occurs in machines that utilize a single feed screw in thetobacco feed hopper to move the tobacco into the pouching machine.Examples of tobacco pouching machines are disclosed in PCT Pub. No. WO08/062302 to Boldrini and PCT Pub. No. WO 08/56135 to Onno.

Equipment for packaging the snus formulations into the pouchesreferenced above will be herein described with reference to FIGS. 17-21.The figures illustrate the infeed and metering system 84 of a typicaltobacco pouching machine manufactured by Merz Verpackungsmaschinen GmbHwith an inventive modification to improve the tobacco flow through thefeed hopper 86. The infeed and metering system 84 typically comprises afeed hopper 86, a motor 88, a feed or “metering” screw 90 withcorresponding pins 92, a discharge hole 94 on a discharge side 96 of thefeed hopper 86, and a corresponding dosing bowl 98.

The feed hopper 86 includes first 104 and second 106 ends with thedischarge hole positioned on the side wall 108 of the second end 104.The hopper 86 is typically about 5.5 inches wide at the top 100 andabout 2.25 inches wide at the bottom 102. The overall height of thehopper 86 is about 11.75 inches and the overall length of the hopper 86is about 11.5 inches. These dimensions are exemplary only, and otherhopper sizes can be used as known in the art. The hopper 86 ispositioned so that it slopes down from the first end 104 to the secondend 106 to ensure that tobacco 120 in the feed hopper 86 flows from thefirst end 104 to the second end 106, or discharge side, of the feedhopper 86.

A feed screw 90 is positioned near the bottom 102 of the feed hopper 86such that it can freely rotate without the pins 92 coming into contactwith the sides 108 or bottom 102 of the feed hopper 86. The feed screw90 extends laterally across the entire bottom of the feed hopper 86, andhas a shaft 110 extends out of both the first end 104 of the feed hopper86 and the discharge hole 94 of the feed hopper 86. A plurality of pins92 extend from the perimeter of the feed screw 90. On the end of thefeed screw 90 opposite the end positioned at the discharge hole 94, thefeed screw 90 extends through an opening in the hopper 86 and interfaceswith a motor 114 through a gearbox 116. The motor 88 that powers thefeed screw 90 is typically a 0.18 kw motor and powers a gearbox 116which provides a fixed rotational speed of about 120 RPM. Other motorsand gearboxes known in the art may also be used.

The feed screw 90 is typically about 2 inches in diameter, and the pitchof the pins 92 extending from the feed screw 90 is about 1 turn in 2inches. The diameter of the feed screw 90 and the pitch of the pins 92can be adjusted accordingly as known in the art. In operation, tobaccoenters the feed hopper 86 at the top 100 and the rotation of the feedscrew 90 along with the pitch of the pins 92 moves the tobacco towardthe discharge hole 94 into the dosing bowl 98.

However, typical infeed and metering systems have inherent problems thatcause down time and reduce efficiency. Referring to FIG. 20, a dead zone118 typically occurs near the second end 106 of the feed hopper 86 asthe tobacco 120 feeds through the feed hopper 86 with the assistance ofthe feed screw 90. An operator has to regularly stop the machine tounpack this dead zone 118 and push the tobacco 120 back into the feedscrew 90 in order to keep the tobacco flow consistent. Furthermore, thetobacco 120 supplied to the feed hopper 86 in traditional machines tendsto build up and cling to the side walls 108 of the feed hopper 86because of its high moisture content. This results in a “rat hole” 122in an area of the feed hopper 86 which starves the feed screw 90 and thedosing bowl 98 downstream from the feed screw 90 as shown in FIG. 21.This also causes equipment down time.

The present invention comprises a modified infeed and metering system 84of a pouching machine such as illustrated in FIGS. 17-21. The modifiedpouching machine of the present invention includes an additionalagitator screw 124 positioned above the feed screw 90. The agitatorscrew 124 includes a plurality of pins 126 extending from its perimeter,and it conveys tobacco 120 in an opposite or neutral direction from thefeed screw 90 in order to move the tobacco 120 away from the dead zone118 and eliminate the rat holes 122. The direction of the tobacco 120 asa result of the feed screw 90 and the agitator screw 124 are shown byarrows A and B respectively in FIG. 19.

The agitator screw 124 in preferably configured with as large a diameteras possible, and is spaced so as not to interfere with the feed screw90. A preferred diameter for the agitator screw 124 is about threeinches. Furthermore, the pitch of the agitator screw pins 126 is neutralor opposite the pitch of the feed screw pins 92. The agitator screw 124includes a pulley system defined on the shaft 128 nearest the motor 88and gearbox 116. The wheel 130 of the pulley system has a band 132extending around its circumference. The agitator screw 124 is positionedthrough an opening in the first end 104 of the feed hopper 86 such thatthe band 132 is in contact with the outer diameter of the shaft 110 ofthe feed screw 90. The band 132 is preferably made from a material whichprovides enough friction so that when the feed screw 90 rotates, thewheel 130 rotates in the opposite direction of the feed screw 90 and inturn rotates the agitator screw 124. The ratios between the wheel 130and the feed screw 90 diameter are such that the agitator screw 124rotates at around 192 RPM.

In operation, the agitator screw 124 preferably turns at a faster ratethan the feed screw 90. A preferred configuration is to mechanicallydrive the agitator screw 124 at a 1:6 to 1 ratio. The speed, directionof rotation and positioning of the agitator screw 124 versus the feedscrew 90 breaks up the agglomerated tobacco particles and prevents theformation of dead zones 118 and rat holes 122. This results in a moreefficient pouching process, as the machinery does not have to be stoppedregularly to be cleaned out.

Optionally, a screen 136 can be positioned between the agitator screw124 and the feed screw 90 in order to further reduce agglomeratedparticles and improve processing of the tobacco. A preferred mesh sizefor such a screen is a #6 Tyler screen, but other screens could beutilized as known in the art.

It should be noted that there could be a wide range of changes made tothe present embodiments without departing from the scope of the claimedinvention. It is therefore intended that the foregoing detaileddescription be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and thatit be understood that it is the following claims, including allequivalents, that are intended to define the spirit and scope of thisinvention.

1. A container for smokeless tobacco, said container comprising: a lidand a corresponding bottom piece, said bottom piece having an outsidewall, at least one dividing wall extending between opposite sides ofsaid outside wall and dividing said bottom piece into a plurality ofcompartments; and a seal removably positioned over each compartment. 2.The container of claim 1, further comprising two dividing walls dividingsaid bottom piece into four compartments.
 3. The container of claim 1,wherein said seal is a continuous piece of material forming a flap. 4.The container of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of seals, eachseal being an individually removable seal forming a flap and positionedover each compartment.
 5. The container of claim 4, wherein eachindividual seal is a different color.
 6. The container of claim 1,wherein said seal is air and moisture tight.
 7. The container of claim1, wherein said seal is resealable.
 8. The container of claim 1, whereinsaid seal further includes at least one indicia thereon.
 9. Thecontainer of claim 1, wherein said lid, bottom piece and at least onedividing wall are formed from a low-permeability material.
 10. Thecontainer of claim 9, wherein said low-permeability material is selectedfrom the group consisting of thermoplastic polymers, thermosettingpolymers, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyethylene, polyvinylchloride and polystyrene.
 11. The container of claim 1, wherein saidlow-permeability material is metallic.
 12. The container of claim 1,wherein said bottom piece further comprises an aluminum liner.